Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-06

the COtedu dc SduDur, and that mas
sive-looking old chateau, perched on the
summit OF an isolated crag, stood out
grandly against the clear sky and domi-
mated everything. l wandered down to
the school for cavalry officers, had look
at the antique Hotel do Vile, strolled
along the Rue DIES Payens, whittier the
last Of the Huguenots Of this " metropolis
OF Professionalism, as it was formerly
called, retired. converting their houses
into 80 many fortresses to guard against
being surprised by their Catholic adverse
ries. and thence l climbed. by a street
that Balzac himself describes in "Eu
genie Grandet," and which still boasts
ancient carved timber houses with
studded oak doors almost as massive as
those | tried to swing at the Castle OF
Anglers, under quaint, overhsnging
corner turrets and around outlying
walls, until came 10 the broad gate OF
the old chateau. Into il | marched as
boldly as though l owned the whole
town, and had made about fifteen steps
when q woman arrested me. Yes, |
could go on youder ramparts il liked,
but not into the castle. and when | de-
handed why, she replied that it was NIL
on account OF tho absence OF certain
young officer who is put here to guard
it and who happens now to be away on
vacation. SO / strOlled along q line of
embattled walls that run along the top
OF high down, saw that the old fortress
was in tOlerable repair, looked at the
exterior Of the castle in different aspects,
envied the owners Of the splendid vine
yards back of the place. got tired of
counting the innumerable wind-miIls
which were whirling round on an emf
hence, took last look at the grand
panorama, landscape where | could
see railways, rivers running their wind
ing course. villas, towns, castles, and old
towers, and then hired local guide in
wooden shoes, who had promised to show
rae a couple of dolmans near the village
Of Bagneux. three leagues or so from
Saumur. / had seen a lot of those in
teresting archaeological remains down in
Brittany, but one OF these was said to I've
as fine vestige Of the ancient Gaulois
race ms there was in existence, and 50 [
/ found it to he. Ours was q rural road
! that ran past vines and fruit trees, and
the fellows sabots gave him much pain
until | treated him to small bottle OF
the native red wines at q convenient
auberge, after which no quite outwalked
me. Except that one OF the four enor-
nous stones which roof this particular
dolnan in, it is perfect in every respect,
and is the largest and finest | ever saw.
Il is a covered alley, so to speak, sixty
five feet in length. twenty -four in width.
and ten feet high, and the legion is that
o Gaulois chieftliR constructed it for his
family tomb.
Yesterday | gave my tired legs q rest,
and rode ont in an open iiacre to Fontev-
arult. The road ran between the bluff and
some fat lands that shore the Lore, and
for half the distance to Montsoreau, a
matter Of some five or six miles, there
was continuous stretch Of subterranean
residences, such as | have already re-
ferred to. At Montsoreau we turned
sharp to the right and then came a sue
cession of vineyards, small clumps OF
graceful hills, and accidents OF growth
and ground that would do a painter good
to look at Presently it was uphill to
the historic abbey where repOse tho
bones of Henry H., his wife Eleanor
Richard OF the Lion Hcart-their wa
rior son-and Isabeau OF Anjou, widow
Of CGur de Lions brother, John Lack
land. The place is now pententiary for
malefactorS sentenced to less than five
years confinement. The prison.kceper
read my card and then gave me permits
sion to 20 Inside accompanied by one of
the guardians. | did not see the work
/ shops, nor WAS permitted b enter the
dining-rooms, where the prisoners were
at dinner, but saw their dormitory and
/ their chapel.
Behind wide grated door in this
chapel are all that is left OF the once
MAGNIFICENT tombs OF those who were
Kings OF England. Raised some three
feet from the stone floor We're four
tOmbs, on the top Of which were the
wooden eligies of those personages
( whom have already named. That OF
| Richard is more than six feet long; time
/ has mutilated the face, but the eyes and
nose are not disfgured, and the hair and
/ beard are short and curled, and a circlet
with towels surrounds the head. One
I hand remains, a robo is gathered at the
throat, and belt is round the waist,
but there is DO appearance OF armOr.
The much mutilated feet rest ona lion,
n heavy mace lies at bis side, aud the
admirably sculptured statue has been
painted, as are all the others, such being
usual in efli2ies of this and earlier date.
The statue OF Henry is not 50 long. the
/ fashion Of beard and mCustacheS is alike
on father and son but could not make
out any further resemblance. Henry
wears damask robe and u sword belt;
the coloring and gliding is much worn
off, and his hands are mutilated, but the
feet are entire. A golden coronet en-
circles the head OF the naughty and
vindictive heiress whom q French King
repudiated as his wife, and who was
atierward Queen OF England. The robe
over her is in draped folds, her feet are
covered, and her features, except the
nose, which is destroyed, are beauti-
full, but very stern. The efligy OF
the widow OF Jean Sans-Ieuo il
very delicately made, and IS small
alongside the others. Her small hands
/ both repose on her breast, and her
long waving hair, confined by cir
clet, falls on her shoulders. The sight
OF these ruined tombs perhaps made Inc
bit sentimental; at any rate l was
alone with my thoughts, and one fancy
that possessed me there was that the
statue OF Richard of the Lion Heart
was glorious, his forehead grand, and
his chest pc1digious that there was less
character OF strength in Henry's frame,
but more intellectual expression in his
face; that Eleanor has a noble head and
a figure extremely majestic; and that
there was helpless deiicacy as well as
beauty in the young lady placed beside
these once powerful characters, before
whose presence she seems TO shrink and
tremble, as yer likely she did when she
was living. Here is romantic story.
She WAS attached to a noble Count, and
they were b have been welded, but
John Lakeland cast his tyrant eyes on
her and forced her TO become his bride.
After his death she was able to repay the
constant affection OF her first lover, one
of the most elegant troubadour poets OF
his time but ne died too soon for her
happiness, and she tLen entered tho
Royal Convent of Fonteyrsuit, where
T - ..-Icr, a -. uaa nuria1 tna